Columns
Columns: How Tos, Advice & Lessons for Bass Players
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Notes from the Bandstand: The Bass Solo
Bassists abound in NYC. It’s not uncommon to get on the subway to see two other fellow bassists fighting for a spot with their low-end leviathans. And, you can be sure; these bass commuters can do it all – they can groove and solo. My first two columns have been about the former – the... »
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Connecting to Music or a Brand: Spotify vs Apple
For this week’s column, I asked a good friend and frequent band-mate – Seattle-based drummer Tarik Abouzied – to give his unique perspective into Spotify (and the streaming model, in general). Tarik had written a column in my stead here at No Treble once before regarding bass playing from the drummers perspective and everybody loved... »
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Exercise For Unlocking The Fretboard
In this video, we’ll work through a great pattern that I learned from the great trombonist Dave Glen. It’s a fantastic way to make the transition between scales and arpeggios and also helps you to relate them more naturally to different chord types. I found this very useful when I first heard Dave talking about... »
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Licks and Fills from Right Hand Drive
In this video from the road, I decided to respond to an email requesting some contextual examples of how I might use a few of the “licks and fills” from my book, Right Hand Drive. After a handful of technical difficulties and the majority of my day off spent filming in a hotel room, I... »
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Bass Players To Know: Carl Radle
There are plenty of players who have left the musical world far too soon and are frequently overlooked or, more commonly, heard but not known. One example that comes to mind is the great and soulful Carl Radle, the California transplant who made an indelible mark in the world of blues and soul during the... »
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Using an Active/Passive Toggle on Your Bass
Q: I’ve got a toggle on my bass for passive and active. I hardly use it. Could you explain the benefits and drawbacks of each? Do you ever toggle during a gig? Thanks! A: I’ve more recently become more enamored with the sound of my basses in passive mode. For me, it partially reflects a... »
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The Plucking Pinky: A Lesson for Bass Players
In this video, we’ll take a quick look at the usefulness of one of the lesser used fingers… the plucking hand’s pinky! »
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Walking Bass Line Construction
In this video, I’ll talk you through the basics of developing a walking bass line in addition to demonstrating a few approaches. There’s also a nice exercise at the end that’ll really challenge most of you as you explore new ways to navigate chord changes. Enjoy! Follow along with this chord chart I used in... »
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Intervallic Exploration for Bass
This week, we’re diving into the topic of getting to know (and map out across the fretboard) every interval on the bass. We’ll also focus on ways to try and turn them into licks and melodic patterns that you probably wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. »
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The Lightbulb Moment: Keeping Time In The Studio
I pledge allegiance to the time… set by the drummer? By the click? Somewhere in between? These days, almost all recordings are done to a click track. And why not? It forces everyone to be aware of the desired tempo and to be responsible for their own sense of good time-keeping. It eliminates huge fluctuations,... »
